France: no crisis on biological food market

11.06.2009By: Transfer, based on Agence Bio, Le Point, Echo Nature

Within three years French turnover of biological food has increased from 1 billion euro to 2.6 billion euros in 2008, 25% more than in 2007. From 1999 to 2005 sales expanded on a 10% average. Especially the big supermarkets have grown fast: an increased turnover of more than 75% since 2005.

But France cannot fulfill the demand with only 2,12% of biological farmland, and is obliged to import. Fruit and vegetables, the most demanded imported products, are bought in Italy, Poland and Bulgaria according to French frozen food chain Picard.

Picard also explains that it’s impossible to put a biological product on the front page of their advertisement leaflet, because they won’t be able to meet the resulting large demand. Monoprix faces a comparable supply problem: more than once this supermarket has had a hard time finding biological milk.

A solution is provided by import. For example, more than 60% of fruits, vegetables, juices and vegetable juices are imported. In 2008 an average of 30% of all biological products consumed in France came from abroad.